North-east Indian Migrants Returning Back to Bangalore

[Ambitious.Asian]

More than 20,000 north-east Indians fled Bangalore fearing violence

Hundreds of people from north-east India, who had fled the southern city of Bangalore fearing reprisal attacks in recent days, have started returning.

Officials say the situation in the city and other parts of Karnataka state is now normal.

They blamed the exodus of more than 20,000 people on "rumours" linked to clashes in north-eastern Assam state.

After the Assam violence, threatening messages were sent to migrant workers and students from the north-east.

Panic set in and people began fleeing the south and west after a Tibetan was knifed by an unidentified attacker in the city of Mysore. Police say they believe the attackers mistook him to be from Assam.

"They are all slowly coming back. Bangalore is normal. We have taken all measures to maintain peace," additional commissioner of police Sunil Kumar told the BBC.

He said 22 people had been arrested for "rumour-mongering, assaulting and threatening" students from the north-east and riot police have been deployed in sensitive areas of the city where north-easterners live.

North-eastern residents of Bangalore said the state government's confidence building measures, including holding peace meetings with Muslim leaders, had helped maintain peace.

At least 87 people died in fighting between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers in Assam in recent month.


BBC News - North-east Indian migrants returning to Bangalore

 

[Gessler]

Great news!! Bang'alore must rewelcome the Northeastern bros and sis's with a Bang!

 

[Holmes]

Good. The govt should make sure that such incidents may never happen.
Welcome back!

 

[Abingdonboy]

There should be regular Bangalorians at the stations welcoming back-showing the aholes who created this mess are a tiny and insignificant minority.

Maybe these guys will welcome them back:

[/IMG]

 

[joekrish]

Looks like things are back to normal.

 

[Ambitious.Asian]

Looks like things are back to normal.

Yeah, now we should work to tighten our relationship with our NE brothers......so that nobody can threaten our National unity

 

[DARIUS]

What this article has not mentioned is that yesterday itself the Deputy CM of Karnataka was on a visit tothe seven sister states including Meghalaya and Manipur where he personally met most of the people who were victims to the rumors in gatherings and explained to them what was actually going on behind the scene!!!!He requested them to return to Karnataka and rejoin their job's!!I personally feel it was a good move by the Govt.

Karnataka deputy CM visits Imphal, urges all to return
TNN Aug 26, 2012, 10.41PM IST
IMPHAL: Karnataka deputy chief minister R Ashoka has urged students and professionals from the northeast who fled the southern state owing to unfounded rumors that they could be attacked, to return saying that the state is safe and there is nothing to fear. "We are all Indians and we are one. That's why I have come to Imphal to urge all those who fled Karnataka to return to their respective institutions and work places," he said.

"There has been no communal violence in Karnataka since the last many years and Bangalore is the safest place in India," Ashoka, who also holds the home portfolio, said while stating special trains for the NE people to return to Karnataka would be operated from Guwahati from Saturday next.As part of his goodwill mission to welcome back the region's people to the southern state, Ashoka, accompanied by Karnataka director general of police Lalrokhuma Pachau and other officials, made a short visit to Imphal on Sunday, a day after he visited Assam.

Meanwhile, a large number of people held a candlelight prayer meet at Ukhrul town for the safety of the NE people living in Indian metros on Saturday night.

Of the total 3.5 lakh northeasterners living in Karnataka, 2.5 lakh reside in Bangalore. During the recent imbroglio, over 30,000 of them, mostly from Assam, left the southern state.

Ashoka held meetings with Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, home minister Gaikhangam and top officials as well as parents and guardians of the fleeing students and professionals.

At an impromptu media conference held at the CM's secretariat complex here in the afternoon, he said NE people fled Karnataka due to unfounded rumors that they people would be attacked if they did not go back to their homeland by August 20 but not even a "small unwanted incident" has occurred there.

"Adequate security measures have been taken up with securitymen fanning out in night patrols across Bangalore. Karnataka police have so far registered 17 cases and five culprits have been pulled up in connection with the hate SMSes and video clips," he said, adding that special officials have also been manned to check cyber crime.

During his meeting with the parents of students studying in Karnataka, Ashoka briefed them about the measures taken up for their wards' safety. He added that the Centre has also taken all possible steps to ensure safety of NE people in Karnataka.

Satisfied with the measures taken up by the Karnataka government, some Manipuri parents whose wards had fled Bangalore expressed their willingness to send their children back to the southern city.

Karnataka deputy CM visits Imphal, urges all to return - Times Of India